The April Fool 3
by RenaYumi
Summary: No. Not today. Anyday but today. Let it be tomorrow. Let it be any day. Please don't let it be April Fools Day.


**April Fool 3**

**A/n We're back. Oh yes, we've once again collaborated in an ingenious display (or so we hope) of our dear April Fool's many talents. We ask you to hold all applause until the end of the story so as not to interrupt the actors. The poor unsuspecting actors. The insanity of The Fool continues in our third edition, our third year in a row. A toast to the authors, a toast to you, the readers. Cheers and enjoy.**

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**March 31, 2007 11:30pm**

**T**omorrow is the dreaded day. Everyone has been nervous about it. Milly and Tamiya have promised to have the scoop of the century with it. Make a whole documentary out of it. I heard Sissi had Jim install new locks on her door to prevent anything, or anyone, from getting in.

Jeremie and Yumi aren't talking to me, they haven't since March 15th. They're worried I'm teamed up with Odd again this year like I was last year. But they're wrong. Odd doesn't like to repeat himself, he'll have picked a new traitor. Aelita is still keeping up friendly pretenses, I think she enjoys the pranks no matter what she says. I just have to wonder about what Odd is planning this year and whether or not it'll be as "thoughtful" as last year. Sam hasn't been around either, I think she's been building up her arsenal, ready to attack.

The Prankster has met his match this year for sure but he doesn't seem worried. He's sound asleep in his bed snoring loudly with Kiwi on his chest. The only times Odd goes to sleep this early is when he's planning something big for the next day which requires him getting up early. I wonder if he loves this holiday more than Halloween...Jer, Yumi, and Aelita, not to mention the rest of the school, will have their hands full tomorrow. Then again. So will Odd.

**Yumi's Pov**

Tomorrow is two things. My two year anniversary with Ulrich and April Fools day. Did I mention I stopped talking to Ulrich a week ago? I now answer him with yes or no responses or as many one word answers that I can think up. I plan to keep this up till the second, depending on what he does tomorrow. Odd has been silent, in his head working on what ever it is he's working on. Right now I'm super-gluing my window shut and checking the locks on my bedroom door. Yes, locks. I installed a dead bolt.

"Yumi?" I turn to find Hiroki leaning against my door frame, phone in hand. "It's Ulrich." I turned my cell phone off and hid it. Not taking any chances with Odd doing something to it. I give him a pleading look and he held the phone against his chest.

"I've already told him you were in the shower. Two hours ago. I told him you went for a run, four hours ago. He knows your here." And then that doll of a brother holds out the phone.

**April 1, 2007 - 2:45am**

Ulrich finally fell asleep. I can't believe it. That lunatic stays up way to late sometimes. Then again, look at me. I guess he gave up talking to his Juliet. I know, I know, I should feel absolutely horrible about messing things up between them at the moment, but I don't. I'm to psyched to care.

I grab my backpack from under the bed and slip outside hurriedly. I'm supposed to be at the Gym at three and if I'm late, then...I know I'm in for it. I scurry down the hall quick as can be - I am the night walker! The night shadow! The...the - shit! I duck into a doorway as Jim stomps past. Honestly, how does he expect anyone to sleep with his stomping? It could wake the dead. Unless the dead wear earplugs like Ulrich. Where did "wake the dead" come from anyway? Has anyone actually woken a dead person? Hm...

Right. Back on target. I take the back stairwell to the roof and then run across the cat-walk - why is it called a cat walk? - and onto the roof of the Gym. Quick, simple, easy. I love my job. I love this holiday. It's a tie with Halloween. But on Halloween I get to scare people and get free candy. But with April Fool's I get to reap the rewards of my labors. See? It's a tie.

They all think that I'm a nutcase but I've been planning this since well...since January first actually. Who cares about school anyway? I'm an artist. And this...well, this is my art.

I race down the stairs into the gym and grin. Perfect. Right on time. It's only 2:58. I made it with two minutes to spare. Yes! The door opens and I turn, grinning as I pull the tube out of my backpack. "Ready?"

**April 1, 2007- 6:00am**

My alarm goes off. No. It can't be today. Let it be tomorrow. I open one eye. Still today. Why? Why does this happen to us? I reach up and switch off the alarm and roll over. I'm not going to classes today. I'm not leaving this bed, or this room. Every year is the same. We're always out-pranked. This year we're down one member and our surprise element of Sam as back-up. I hate April Fool's Day. I reach for my glasses and get out of bed. I'm careful when I step onto the ground, I remember what happened to Ulrich last year. Ulrich. Ulrich the turncoat who betrayed us all in the end. Yumi and I have been giving him the cold shoulder but Aelita's more willing to forgive and forget. Probably because she doesn't realize that this is a yearly occurrence yet.

So far so good. Nothing has jumped out at me or fallen on me or sprayed me. I'm surprised. Who would've thought that I could get up and move freely around the room with nothing happening yet? I double-check the door and see that it's still securely bolted. Yumi and I invested in deadbolts this year. We tried to convince Aelita to as well but she didn't see the point in it.

I walk back to my closet, enjoying the feeling of freedom on this dreaded day. So far there haven't been any startled screams of rage in the halls either. Could Odd have finally learned his lesson and isn't plotting this year? No way. He's been to silent lately. I check the time and wander to my closet to get ready for class. I open the door and curse Odd with all my being. My clothes were gone.

No, the closet wasn't empty. Quite contrary. It was full. Brimming full. Where did he get these clothes? I stood in shock, just staring. Great. I have the option of dressing in pink dresses or leather and spikes. Punk or Girly. I really hated him. Really hated him. So right now I have about two options. This, or call Ulrich and ask him to raid my gym locker. Hardly suitable, but at least it's not pink. Of course, right now I don't trust Ulrich. I'm pretty much stuck. Unable to think of anything else to do, I take out my cell phone and call Yumi. Her mother answers the phone and it's a good three minutes before Yumi's awake enough to talk to me.

"Hello?"

"How does Odd get through a dead bolt?" I ask. She groaned and there was a faint sound of blankets being moved.

"He's a snake, Jer. I bet he squeezed himself under the door." She yawned and I could hear more shuffling.

"Which do you like better Yumi? Pink or leather?"

"Leather, why?"

"Because that's all that's in my closet."

"Odd is so dead."

**April 1, 2007 - 6:15am**

It's a crummy day. The sun is shining brightly through my windows. The sky is deep blue, like the ocean Daddy used to take me to on vacations. I yawned, shutting off my alarm and standing up to stretch. It was the crummiest day in the world because it was April first. Whoever the idiot was that invented it was demented. More so than the little purple freak that hung around Ulrich all day. Maybe he created it. Wouldn't surprise me.

I glare out the window at the bright sunlight. A beautiful day like this doesn't deserve to fall on such a disgusting day as this. It should be gray, windy, and raining. To match my mood. I grab my bag and walk down the hall into the bathroom carefully.

Emily's in the shower already. I remember what happened to her last year, I wonder if she's still worried. The pink haired one is here as well. She's brushing her teeth at the sink. I snort at her hello and enter the shower stall, taking care with the soaps and shampoos. I don't want a repeat of last year.

I've taken extra precautions this year. I finish my shower and wrap my hair in a towel, heading back to my room. The day is looking brighter and brighter already. I open the door carefully, unlocking the two extra locks I had Jim install. I sit down in front of my vanity, plugging in my hairdryer and turning it on.

...Poof.

And with the poof came white powder. Upon further inspection, baby powder. I _just_ washed my hair. And just how did Della Robbia get a hold of my hair dryer? My room is triple locked! When I get my hands on that little imp, he's going to wish he was never born. Two times over. I reach down and unplug the tainted dryer and stand up. My mirror, my floor, _me_, are all covered in white. It looks like it snowed.

"Della Robbia!"

Do you see now why April Fool's day is such a useless day?

**April 1, 2007 - 6:30am**

I could hear Sissi's scream from the showers and I froze, biting my lip. I wonder what happened to her. I peek out the curtain and see Aelita brushing her teeth. "Do you know what happened?" I ask her.

She shakes her head, turning the faucet off. "No. I don't. Can't be anything to good though. Judging by that scream at least." I nod, returning to washing my hair. The curtain in the shower next to mine slides open and I hear the water running.

I reach for my conditioner and pause when I see that it's not there. I must have forgotten it in my room. "Aelita?"

"Yeah Emily?"

"Can I borrow your conditioner?"

"Sure thing," she calls back. She tosses the bottle over the divider and it lands at my feet on the wet tile. I frown, bending to pick it up before opening it carefully and squeezing it into my hand. It looks fine. White, creamy, nothing unusual about it. I sniff it. Smells like jasmine, like the bottle says.

I run my fingers though my hair and enjoy the water hitting me. "Thanks!" I tell her as I toss the bottle back.

"No problem."

It's silent for a few more minutes and I sigh. "Why do you suppose Odd acts the way he does?" I ask her. I enjoy pranks, I used to get my two brothers all the time. But what Odd does...his are a bit outlandish at times.

"I don't know...He seems to enjoy it though," she tells me, shutting off the water. Aelita was famous for her quick showers.

"A little too much," I tell her. Her curtain slides open and I close my eyes, letting the water rinse my hair one more time. Suddenly the water turns icy and I shriek, stepping away from it to see that I'm now covered in light blue paint. "Odd!" I scream. I need to deck him again.

**April 1, 2007 6:40am**

I shook out my wet hair as Emily screamed Odd's name, imaging her turning red with anger. Well, probably more purple-ish. There was a knock on my door.

"Open." I searched my closet for today's outfit. Odd poked his head in.

" 'Morning Princess," He smiled.

"Odd! Someone is going to see you!" I pull him into my room shutting the door. "Just what I need." He shrugged, he could care less about his well being.

"Making sure you were up. Don't want to be late for breakfast, and Jer will probably be late coming to get you." He waved and left, checking the hall before making a mad dash out of the girls dorms, probably to go hide out on the roof. It's going to be a long day. I shake my head once he's left and sit down on my bed, pulling over my box of odds-and-ins. I untie the ribbon and open the lid, screaming as something slimy and purple lunges out at me. Sitting back, I place my hand to my throat, breathing heavily. It was one of those spring things...

"Odd..." I growl, hitting my palm to my forehead. I remove the slimy worm-like thing and sort through the endless depths of makeup. Imagine, all the wonderful things you could do in this world! It still surprised me sometimes. I grabbed my lip gloss and applied it before pulling on my shoes. I was going to be late for breakfast.

I jumped off my bed when there was a knock on the door, slipping on the slimy worm and falling against the door before managing to open it. I stood stock still when I saw him.

"Jeremie?" I asked incredulously.

"Don't. Say. Anything." He was dressed head-to-toe in leather. Was that a pink shirt I saw under the jacket? I listened to him, I didn't say anything. I couldn't stop laughing to say anything.

**April 1, 2007 6:50am**

"Why are you moving so slow?" Hiroki stopped shoveling his food for a moment. I only took a 45 minute shower, which by the way I went over with a fine tooth comb. "Avoiding Ulrich?" Smug little brat. He knows the story, he was home when I busted down the front door and stormed into the shower. I, of course, did the mature thing and glared coldly at him.

"He called you by the way." Hiroki returned to his cereal.

"Mmhm." I retrieved the milk from his side of the table and made my own breakfast. No way was I spending April Fool's day morning in the school cafeteria, vulnerable to one of Odd's attacks. I pushed the Whoopie-cushion off my chair and sat down. Hiroki looked rather disappointed.

**7:02 am**

"Come on Milly! We're going to be late!"

"Late?" I yawned, tightening my grip on my teddy bear. "For what?" I asked, opening my eyes and squinting in the bright sunlight.

"For the greatest day of the year!"

"It's not the last day of school and it isn't Christmas. How is it so great?"

"It's April Fools," Tamiya tells me, jumping onto my bed. I throw back my covers, sitting up.

"Why didn't you tell me? We have to get ready!" I fly around the room, dressing quickly and pulling my mud-red hair into a low ponytail. "Did you get the camera?"

"Yes Milly. Unlike someone, I was awake on time!" I stick my tongue out at her as I hop around the room, pulling on socks and shoes. "Will you sit down?"

"No! We're already running late! Who knows how many people he's got already!" I exclaim. We decided last year we were going to video tape April Fools and get all of Odd's pranks on videotape. For the news of course. I shriek as my foot hits something gooey and extract it, wiggling my toes in the green goo covering them.

"Looks like that's one, should I start filming?" I just glare at her.

**7:43am**

I'm almost disappointed as I walk through the halls. I've only heard 2 or 3 random out bursts of screams. It will be much better at Kadic today. Much, much better. I make my way through the crowd of students as I attempt to get to my locker.

"Hey Sam! Seen your work in the Chem. Lab! Nice job!" I turn my head to see someone waving in my direction. That one was actually and accident. Really. Finally, I manage to pry open my red locker and step to the side. A bit of confetti litters the tile floor as I move back in front of it. 'Happy April Fool's Day Sammy!' Is written in magic marker on the inside of the door. Odd. Just wait until he gets out his camera. We'll see who the better prankster is then. I tossed my backpack into the now brightly colored locker and reach for my language book.

"Samantha Larson to the office! _Now_!" Oh, how I love April Fool's Day.

**April 1, 2007 - 7:45am**

The last bell rings and I watch the class take their seats, all look suspiciously toward the front table where Odd and Ulrich are sitting. Apparently they still remember what happened last year when, as I hear, they both contributed to the mass sliming of their friends.

"Good morning class," I greet them. They mumble a response back. "Today, we will be working with Bunsen burners." More than a few pale at the thought of what Mr. Della Robbia could have done to them but I kept them locked tight last night and this morning the lock was still in tact. "Please get into your normal groups."

Jeremie and Aelita look nervous as they pair with Ulrich and Odd but I wave it off. Mr. Della Robbia can be a handful at times but he seems quite placid today. I can't say the same for Mr. Belpois' choice of attire.

"Now, each station has the needed materials, turn on your burners and begin when I say too. You will need a secretary to record notes on the provided laptops, an instructor to read the directions, one to fill the instruments with the materials and one to do the graphing. Begin."

I walk between the stations, observing each students' work and making notes, or in the case of Mr. Romain Le Goff, issuing a detention for acting like a mad scientist. I'm nearing the last station, which happens to be the one of Mr. Belpois, Della Robbia, and Stern and Ms. Stones when the sprinklers come on and flood the room. The students run screaming into the hallway and I look to Mr. Chambre who teaches advanced biochemistry.

"Your room as well?" I ask.

He nods. "The whole school from what I hear."

**7:50am**

Yumi was walking towards us at a fast pace. She pushed her seemingly wet hair out of her eyes and huffed. Odd was no where to be found. Who knows where he took off to.

"Why is it that every year we end up getting wet?" She asked. That's the first full sentence she's said to me all week.

"How did he manage to rig the sprinklers? They're set up through the schools computer system." Jeremie was checking his laptop for damage. Aelita shrugged. Yumi glared at me, narrowing her eyes in suspicion.

"Yumi, I'm. Not. Helping. Him. I wasn't even allowed to hear one plan before he pulled it off." She seemed to believe me. Odd doesn't repeat. It's not obvious enough. Or maybe to obvious. Yumi's eyes finally moved over my shoulder to behind me. They widened with disbelief and horror. "Please, please tell me no one has seen that yet." Her voice cracked out. I turned to see William and a few others standing under the vending concourses. There was a poster up on the wall. I could just barely make out something pink.

"What is it Yumi?" To late. She was already running. Do we follow her? Her faced changed from horror to humiliation. I followed her. She was clawing at the poster madly trying to get it down. I recognized the face. It was an eight year old Yumi, in a pink ballet outfit, tutu included. Finally, the picture came down and she crumbled it into a large paper ball, yelling out at Odd in Japanese. I'm not even sure I want to know what she was saying. William was covering his mouth to keep back laughter. He was failing miserably.

"So much for my reputation," She muttered darkly.

"What reputation?" She didn't answer, just glared and crammed the ball into the nearest garbage can. I walked behind her as she rounded the corner.

"Uh Yumi?" I didn't have to tell her. She seen it. Or them, rather. All ... 20? Of them. The same ballet picture she had just destroyed was plastered over the wall. All the color drained from her face.

"Why me?" She dropped her head back in defeat.

**April 1, 2007 - 8:25am**

They've kept us outside for over half an hour as they mop up the mess inside. Principal Delmas told us we have the morning off because of a glitch in the sprinkler's wiring system. We all know who's responsible though. And His name is Odd.

Ulrich walks over to me, apparently giving up on trying to keep Yumi from ripping the posters to shreds, holding a towel. I narrow my eyes at him, crossing my arms. "What?" I demand when he stands in front of me.

"Thought you could use it," he said, handing me the towel. I glare at him as I take the towel from him, wringing out my hair.

"Where's your little friend? Shouldn't you be helping him?"

"I do one prank with him and suddenly I'm classified as his protégée," he groans.

I smile despite myself. "I have to admit, that was a pretty good one," I laugh. He grins dropping down so we're sitting next to each other under the tree. "Yumi still pissed?" He nods.

"Yeah...I see Odd got you already." I roll my eyes.

"A girl can't even shower in peace," I complain. He laughs. "Do you really think he was capable of pulling the sprinkler prank? That's the rumor going around but...I know he's smart. But he's no Jeremie. I think hacking is a bit beyond him."

"I've roomed with him for just over two years. Trust me when I say I don't know if I'll ever know everything Odd's capable of. Why?"

"I just...I can't help but wonder if someone new is helping him."

"You don't think it's me?"

"Would you really have let yourself get soaked? And no offense Ulrich, I don't think you could hack either," I tell him. He rolls his eyes as I finish drying my hair, watching the kids scream as they run back and forth. Milly and Tamiya are approaching with their video camera and I groan.

"Hey, look," Ulrich says. I glance up as a large tarp is unfurled from the school roof depicting Yumi's ballet picture in at least ten feet. "Apparently he doesn't like her pulling down his posters."

"Apparently," I agree. There's an eruption of laughter on campus. I seen Yumi shudder before looking up. Ulrich cringed for her. She jumped up reaching for it. Repeatedly.

"I really hope Odd is far away from that roof right now," Ulrich muttered. I on the other hand hope he's still up there. So I can get my hands on him and choke him until he stops breathing. Yumi gave up jumping, after a few failed running jumps, and ran to the side of the building. The stairwell should be locked though. Milly and Tamiya were capturing every second of the scene. Maybe Odd was paying them off to film it _for_ him this year. It wouldn't be below him.

**8:30am**

I watched Yumi kick open the door to the stairwell in rage. She ran towards the front of the building and attempted to get the ropes untied on her picture. They won't come untied. Odd must have used 20 feet of rope to tie that up. Speaking of Odd.. where did he take off to? He was right behind me coming out of the building...

Then again, I guess it's self explanatory. Apparently he'd disappeared onto the roof. So now, I just had to figure out where he went after the roof. Jeremie walked over to me, frowning deeply.

"Are you alright?" he asks.

"It was just a little water," I laugh. "I won't melt." He gives me a curious look. "Odd showed me that movie. The one with the munchkins and the witch that melted when she was hit with water," I explained.

"Leave it to Odd..."

"What? I thought it was a very good movie!" I exclaim. He rolls his eyes as we watch the crowd of kids and faculty. Mr. Delmas is currently sporting a shocking color of purple hair on his head, obviously Odd's handiwork, as he argues with the janitors.

"You would I guess."

"What's that supposed to mean?" I demand, glaring at him.

"Nothing, just that you haven't seen as many movies as the rest of us and..."

I glare at him. "Shut-up Jeremie!" I storm away from him, listening as he blames Odd for my loss of manners.

**8:32am**

From my new look out, in Ulrich's tree, I can see Aelita storming off towards the dorms alone. Looking rather pissed I might add. See what happens? Give Jeremie a little leather and he think he owns the world. Jeeze. I weigh the options of following Aelita but decide walking through the crowd of rather ticked off students and teachers is not a good idea. I think I'll stay put. Yumi already managed to get down one corner of the ballet poster. You should have seen the faces of the guys at the photo place when I asked them to blow it up for me. I had to convince them it was for a birthday party. So, let's check the list shall we? Yumi got her picture plastered over the campus. Jeremie, is dressed in leather. Not a great look for him. Emily, got a blue shower. My list was interrupted by my cell phone going off.

'ZAP'

My ear gets shocked as I put my phone to it. There's laughter on the other end.

"You rewired my phone," I state dryly. It's Sam.

"Maybe just a little. Have you gotten in trouble yet? I have a weeks detention!" She sounds so proud.

"No. I'm hiding out."

"I'd be hiding if I was you too. Well, happy April Fool's day. I got to go, class and stuff."

**April 1, 2007 - 9:00am**

I've followed Aelita into the dorm and to her room but she's already slammed the door in my face and locked it. "Aelita! Come on...Aelita!" I yell, banging on the door.

"Go away Jeremie," she says. Her voice is faint through the door and I hear things moving around.

"Aelita?" I ask, knocking lighter.

There's silence on the other side and I frown. I know she's still in there, she hasn't left through the door and she's on the second story. I try the door handle and yelp when an electric current passes through it.

"Very mature Aelita! Maybe Odd has corrupted you!"

More silence and I cross my arms, very uncomfortable in the now wet leather Odd had so carefully given me. Maybe I could still change into that pink outfit. Pink. I shudder at the thought. Then again it would be better than going through the day in slightly too-tight wet leather...

"Belpois! What are you doing in the girls' dormitory! Outside!"

I groan as Jim rounds the corner. It is worth it to see his double take at my outfit though. It doesn't last long, he's shoving me out the door and down the stairs.

**April 1, 2007 - 9:30am**

Two _days _detention!

All because of that little...that...ugh! I can't even think of what to call him. Jim dragged me off the roof, told me I was lucky I wasn't being suspended. I'd take suspension. At least I could suffer my humiliation alone. When I get my hands on Odd he's dead.

I storm across the courtyard and freeze when I see Ulrich under the tree. He's laughing and smiling and having a grand ol' time. Not that it bothers me. I don't care. It's the fact that he's with her. Emily Leduc. Innocent student. Yeah right.

"What are you doing?" I demand when I reach him. It's a very good question because he should've been helping me rip the posters. Not sitting under a tree helping Emily towel off her extra-long brown hair and laughing. Nope.

He glances up at me. "Hey, I was just helping Emily. Sit down."

I glare at him, planting my hands on my hips. "Ulrich Stern!" I growl.

Emily pales a bit, smiling sympathetically at him. She shouldn't even be looking at him, nevertheless with pity. "Hey, guess I'll see you later. Nice talking to you Yumi," she says. I wave her off.

"What's wrong with you?" Ulrich demands, standing.

"Wrong? With me? Excuse me! I'm not the one that was sitting on the ground under a tree toweling off _some girl's hair _while their girlfriend was being humiliated!"

"I thought the picture was cute."

"Ulrich!"

And I go to find Jeremie.

"It could have been worse." I glared at him. How on earth could it have been worse? I'm not seeing it.

"Excuse me you weren't the one in the tutu. And Aelita wasn't the one off talking to some other guy." Jeremie looks up from his laptop and nods at the spot next to him.

"You get the poster down?" I nodded. Yes I got it down, and when I get home, I'm going to set it on fire and dance around it. "Emily is harmless. He's dating you." I let my eyes travel to where Ulrich is. He's dropped himself onto the ground next to Thomas Jolviet who appears to be laughing at him.

"Where's Lita?" Jeremie sighs. Oh jeeze.

"She's mad. Locked herself in her dorm. You know I really hate today."

"Me too Jer, me too."

**9:35am**

They're always up to something_. Jeremie _was in the girls dorm. In leather no less. Then again that can probably in some why be pinned on Odd, who is currently no where to be found. Yumi was dragged off the roof. Again, Odd can be held accountable. I don't see the other two. Who knows what trouble they're in right now.

"Jim! Jim! Have you seen Odd?" Milly is jumping up and down with a microphone in her hand. Tamiya in front of her with a camera.

"Uh, no. But when you find him let me know."

**April 1, 2007 - 9:45am**

I was so mad at Jeremie. I don't really know why...I just...was. I had left him at my door after wiring an electrical charge into my doorknob. Odd had showed me how. Amazing. Odd teaching me something. Oh, don't look at me that way. I love Odd. He really is the cousin I never had before, but lets face it, he's not that bright. At least when it comes to books. Unless he's using them to skid on down the hallway...

Anyway, where was I? Oh. Right. I climbed up the tree that was positioned outside my window and in through Emily's room. I had never been inside another girl's room even in the two years I've been here. My time was mostly spent in either Jeremie's or Odd and Ulrich's rooms. Granted, I had seen another girls' room, Yumi's, but that was different. She had her parents there. Here...well, here we have no one.

So I was surprised by my surroundings. I walked around, looking at the different ornaments littering the shelves. I use littering lightly. Her room was immaculate. A guitar was shoved into a corner, partially hidden by a potted plant and I saw a black musical case on it. I never would've guessed that Emily was musical. Yumi seems to think there's nothing good about her. Then again...Yumi, well, Yumi's...You know how Yumi is.

I left her room carefully and walked down the hall, to the stairwell. Jeremie had long since been dragged out by Jim and no one else was in the dorms. They were lounging outside in the sun, trying to dry, or playing catch, or talking. I watched them for a moment out of the stairwell windows before ascending the stairs to the roof.

The sun was shining brightly and I found a bit of shade and sat down in it, legs crossed and closed my eyes. Reflecting. Everyone had told me these past two years that April Fools Day was dreaded, and that it should be forbidden, but I really didn't see a problem with it. Sure, Odd went a bit...wild...with his pranks sometimes, but it was all in good fun. I admit that the sliming last year wasn't pleasant, neither was the pink dye...but still. It was fun. In it's own way.

I jumped, gasping as a hand covered my mouth. "Hello Princess." The hand moved away.

"Hello Odd. You're in a lot of trouble."

**10:00am**

Being the good person I am, I continued to let Yumi rant about Ulrich. Them fighting- nothing new. Sure, I don't know what she's talking about right now, I'm concentrating on debugging the sprinkler system and trying to figure out how Odd hacked the school servers and bugged it in the first place. It took me almost ten minutes to get in, and I actually know what I'm doing. Of course who knows exactly how he pulls off any of his pranks. Please think back to the dead bolts on my door. Yeah. You see my point.

"I just don't get it," I say finally, when she's paused in her ranting.

"What?" she asks. "How Ulrich could go off and chat with Emily while I'm being-"

"Will you stop focusing on yourself? I meant, I don't understand how Odd could've hacked this!"

"Who knows. Who knows how he does any of this! What I know is..." And she's back to ranting while I'm left with trying to figure out how to debug the system and wonder how Odd got into it in the first place...

**April 1, 2007 - 10:30am**

We still aren't allowed back in the dorms. Jim and the other teachers have blocked our entrance. But I saw Aelita go inside so I don't see why I can't go in as well. Why is she given privileges and I'm not? I mean, she hasn't gotten pranked today except for a little bit of water.

I on the other hand have had to take a shower twice because of Odd's so-called genius prank and still got wet when he let loose the sprinklers. I deserve to be dry more than she does!

However, it is amusing to watch Yumi Ishiyama raving to Jeremie. I still can't believe he's in leather! Ulrich certainly hangs around with strange people. I pass by Yumi, listening to her rant about Ulrich and some other girl so I have to pause to see who she's referring to.

Emily.

I frown, not a very good look for me I must say, and look around the grounds. Emily is sitting by herself under a tree reading a book. We have a free morning and she's reading? Ulrich definitely needs to hang out with more interesting people.

**10:33am**

"What's she doing?" Ulrich asked. I craned my neck a little.

"Still sitting with Jeremie. I think she's currently tell Sissi off for something." Oh boy, and she doesn't look too pleased. "It's the day man, she'll be back to normal tomorrow." Ulrich gives me a helpless, miserable look. It's all I can do to not grin at him.

"Don't look at me like that Thomas," He growls.

"Maybe she's the one working with Odd, and that's why she's so mad. He pranked her." I threw my best theory at him. He snickers at the thought.

"If she is she's a great actress." He starts to turn his head.

"Don't look, she's looking your way again." He snaps his face forward.

"You think a bunch of roses could fix this?"

"Couldn't hurt."

**April 1, 2007 - 11:00am**

I hate to say it, no I don't but work with me here, but I think this year might be better, definitely different, than all the others. Yumi's face was priceless, Ulrich looks miserable - I do feel bad about that, I'm not heartless you know! - and Jeremie...come on, he looks hilarious in leather. Definitely one of my better and brightest ideas.

I lounge on the roof of the dorms, watching the chaos reign below. I know I'll be in big trouble for this, it goes without saying. School calls home, I get punished and congratulated all at once. How whack is that? Oh well. I lean over the side, watching and grinning. Milly and Tamiya are filming it all. Perfect. Can't wait to see the tapes.

Again, your giving me that look. Don't act innocent! I saw you. It's the one that says "we know you have a problem and accept it." Well I don't! So take that you...whatever you are.

I glance at my watch. "Five...four...three..." yawn, "one..." Boom! The whole school is under attack. Just kidding. Really though, it's more like...ten hundred pounds of confetti. Again, kidding. Where would I store ten hundred pounds of shredded paper? It can't all fit under my bed and Ulrich might've been a tad suspicious if my bed was on the ceiling from all of it...or if it was littered all over the room.

Nah, it was more like slimy confetti that was launched from those machines we use in gym to launch the baseball/tennis ball at us going about a bazillion miles an hour. Ever get hit by one of those? They hurt. Either way, the schoolyard was covered in it.

I can just bet what my punishment is gonna be this year...

**April 1, 2007 - 11:02am**

I just can't win today. I should just pack it in, call it a day, and go home. Not only am I wet, angry, and humiliated. I am also covered in slime crap! I will show no mercy when I get my hands around Odd's neck. They will find his body buried in the woods mangled and.. Dead! Jeremie is returning my same dry, let's-kill-him look. Where's Aelita? Not here of course. She got mad at Jeremie and left. That's what I should have done. Left.

"I say we follow through with our revenge early." He nods in agreement. Like I said. No mercy for the little irk of a boy. I wonder if Ulrich will let me borrow one of his throwing stars. It cant work much differently than a fan right?

"Is the stuff still safe?" Jeremie asks. He's cleaning off his laptop with the sleeve of his jacket.

"Yeah. Not even Hiroki had a chance to look at it." Jeremie sighs.

"Does he even understand the word overboard?"

"I don't know. But let's not wait to find out."

**April 1, 2007 - 11:30am**

Yumi and Jeremie are still mumbling to each other, Thomas ran off, trying to get somewhere...safe? Is there such a thing on April first? I don't know. If there is, I would've liked to see it. I guess Aelita's still sulking in the dorms. I get up and wander around, trying to find someplace dry and...unslimey.

"Your little friend is going to get it!" Tania snarls as she storms past. I shrug and find a place on the edge of the courtyard and the woods, sitting on a protruding stump. I've been getting a lot of those comments today. I don't see why people think I can control him.

"This is worse than last year," Emily complains to me. I hadn't even realized she'd come over. "Look, I'm sorry if I'm causing problems between you and Yumi..."

"Don't worry about it. It's this day, not you."

She looks at me skeptically. "Then explain all the other times. Maybe it's best if we're just...not friends."

"Don't worry about it," I repeat. "She's just a little high strung." Emily rolls her eyes.

"I think I should just cut it. Every March thirty-first. This way it doesn't get wet, slimed, or colored to badly," she mutters as she wrings out her hair again. I shrug.

"Or just wear it under a hat this time of the year."

"My luck? He'll steal them all," she explains. I laugh. "Looks like they're letting us back in the dorms. I'll see you later Ulrich, okay?" I nod as she stands, making her way to the dorm. I'll wait until the crowd thins.

"Odd? I know you're up there, you can come down now."

There's a thump and Odd lands next to me. "How'd you know?" he asks, surprised.

"I've lived with you for over two years. I think I know you by now. Anyway, I helped you last year."

"Your point?" He crosses his arms over his chest, looking around, seeing if anyone else has noticed his appearance.

"You're in so much trouble with everyone."

"I know!" He grins and I shake my head, shoving him, making sure to get some of his slime on him. He wrinkles his nose. "Gee...thanks," he mutters.

"Anytime. So...going to tell me who's helping you?" I ask. "Not like I can do anything about it. No one trusts me."

Odd flashes me a grin. "Yeah, sorry about that." He tilts his head as a scream erupts from the girls' dormitory. Sounds vaguely like...Emily? I glance at him. "Well...gotta fly! Catch ya later Ulrich! Happy April Fools!"

I watch as the April Fool disappears into the woods before heading back to our room.

**11:34am**

And there she is. To bad, I was hoping she'd be alone. She should be fighting with Ulrich, it is April first. That will make this much more fun.

"Yumi?" She gives me a lazy look and a half smile.

"Hi."

"I was wondering…" I drag my toe in the grass nervously. "If you'd marry me." I look up and meet her eyes. She looks like she can't decide whether to laugh to kill me.

"Uh, That might have worked yesterday." She answered. I was fighting back a smile.

"I'm not kidding." She rolls her eyes in groans.

"Yeah William sure. Go tell Ulrich." She lays back on the sticky grass. Jeremie looks between her and me. Shaking his head he goes back to whatever it is he was doing.

"Still fighting?"

"Is he still talking to Emily?" I glance up, yep.

"Yeah."

"Yes, we're still fighting."

**April 1, 2007 - 1:00pm**

They gather in the gym, no surprise that Odd isn't among them. I wonder if he'll show his face anytime soon. I'm already sitting on the bleachers and Jeremie approaches me but I turn away. I don't want to face him right now.

"What happened to your hair?" I roll my eyes.

Apparently his eyesight is still in working order. Yes, I do have green hair. Thank-you very much. I don't think it looks that bad. Definitely different. I would've liked a normal color for once, but whatever. Green, pink, what's the difference?

Jim comes out of his office, shoving a cart full of soccer balls. I hate soccer. I'm not as bad as Jeremie, I hate to say it, but I think the only one worse than Jeremie is Hervé, but I'm still pretty lousy at it. I can run, I can kick, I can't score and I always forget which one I'm aiming for anyway so nine out of ten times I'm scoring for the other team.

"Outside!" he yells once everyone else has changed. Who ever decided that Gym should be after lunch was seriously deranged. We exit the gym and I stand next to Ulrich and Sissi as we listen to Jim drone on and on.

"Alright," he says. "Any questions." Sissi raises a hand. "Besides whether or not you have to play?" Her hand comes down. "Grab a ball and split into pairs and do basic drills to limber yourselves up, then we'll divide into the two teams and play a game."

He blows his whistle and Ulrich rolls his eyes at me. He and Odd usually pair up during Gym and Jeremie and I usually pair up. I wonder who he'll partner with now that Odd is M.I.A.? Hervé reaches into the cart and yanks at one of the balls.

"Uh...Jim? I think it's stuck," he calls. I still cringe when I hear his nasally voice. It sounds like nails on a chalkboard.

"Move over," Jim growls, reaching in. He yanks on the ball again and again but nothing happens. "What'd you do to it?" he demands. He yanks again and the cart flips over and the balls fall out in one giant glued together mess. Jim stares at them for a moment before growling under his breath, I'm sure I hear him cursing Odd's name in there...

"Looks like we aren't playing soccer today!" I say happily. Sissi looks relieved as well.

**April 1, 2007- 1:15pm**

I'm in a lot of trouble. You know why?

Because they're calling my parents.

I'm sitting in the principals office. I think I need a little more practice before I can get away with my pranks. Actually, I'm pretty sure I need a lot more practice. My math teacher didn't appreciate the frogs that I let out during our pop quiz. I bet Odd never gets caught during a prank. After, sure, but not during.

The secretary just looked up and scowled at me.

I wonder if she knows that I was the one that put rubber cement on all of her pens. And her desk. And her chair. .. Nah. No one saw me. I bet Yumi's miserable right now. As her little brother, I should feel bad, and I do. But as her little brother I also bask in the glow of her humiliation and discomfort. Don't give me that look. Blah, blah, duty to my family, blah, blah. You know it's funny. See? You're grinning.

"Hiroki Ishiyama!" Uh-oh. That's my dad. Maybe he found out I shaved his eyebrow. Though he really can't pin that on me. Oh that's right.

They called my parents.

**April 1, 2007 - 1:30pm**

The Principal finally gave up on classes all together I think. He tossed in the towel. The announcement came on a few minutes ago. Classes will be suspended until tomorrow morning and if anyone sees Odd, he is to report immediately to the Principal's office. Yeah right. If anyone does see Odd anytime soon, he's going to be stoned or tarred and feathered. Something.

I walk down the hall to my room, figuring it was the best place to spend the rest of the eternity that seemed to be comprised into this one innocent - ha! yeah right - day. I stop when I see Tania and Claire arguing, each looking different. Claire in black, Tania in pink. I know Tania will make Odd pay for that. And then wham! it happens.

They both slam into thin air. They look confused, pressing a hand to the air in front of them. I join them. "What's going on?"

"Apparently some little.."

"Scrawny.."

"Inconsiderate..."

"Joker..."

"Child! Saran-wrapped the hallway! We can't get through!" Claire exclaimed angrily. Her hands fisted on her hips and I stifled a laugh. I didn't want to get them even angrier than they already were.

"I'm sure we could cut it..." But Tania had already lunged at it in an attempt to tear it down. Unfortunately, it appears that Odd had thought of that already. She was now stuck to the saran-wrap like a fly in a web. "Are you al-"

"Get me down from here so I can kill him!" she screamed.

Jeremie's POV

**April 1, 2007 - 1:32pm**

Yumi, Aelita, and myself have all retreated. Into Aelita's dorm. Yumi is in her desk chair, feet up on the desk not saying a word. She's silently ranting to herself though. I'm sitting at the end of her bed and Aelita is sitting at the top, staring at me, making me feel as uncomfortable as humanly possible.

"Aelita-"

"I don't want to discuss this right now."

"So everybody knows the plan right?" Yumi finally asks. Like the back of my hand. At 6:30 they'll be-

"We're moving it up an hour though. Odd won't come to dinner if he knows what's good for him." An hour early?

"Aelita-"

"Later Jeremie. Yumi won't that mess it up?"

"Nope." She was smiling. Oh this was not good. I, we, she, UGH! This was planned by the second! And now she changes it last minute, my calculations are null in void now. But that isn't important now though, I think as I look out her window.

"Aelita-" I try again.

"Jeremie, I said!"

_"Look out your window!"_

**April 1, 2007 - 1: 35pm**

**Ulrich's POV**

I ran a hand through my hair, wandering through the wood that borders the school, right on the edge of the shrubs and the trees, looking out at the soccer field. A couple of guys were practicing, not much else to do since classes were cancelled. I knew some of the kids had gone into town where they thought they'd be safe, I knew personally Odd had pranked at least three of the most-frequented shops and who knew how many else.

Emily was down in the stands, watching the game or staying away from Odd. Maybe both. I headed down, careful of the dead leaves and broken twigs, and climbed up next to her. We sat in silence for a moment or two before she finally acknowledged my presence.

"Your friend is going to die."

"What did he do now?"

She turned to face me and I swallowed hard, coughed, and choked to keep the unusual laughter back. The left side of her face was now an interesting shade of lime green. "Do you see what he's done to me?"

"Yes," I muttered.

"He dies."

"I see." Silence once more. "How?"

"My pillow." A few of the guys yelled as the ball suddenly went airborne. Animatronics or something. Then Emily stiffened, gripping my arm. "Look what he's done now." I looked to where she pointed, the girls dorm, Aelita's window, and I swore under my breath. Odd had a death wish coming.

**April 1, 2007- 1:36**

**Odd's POV**

Sometimes it's a real stress reducer to just sit back, and enjoy the mass chaos you're not apart of. What? I said apart of, not the cause of. The way I see it, it's easy enough to prank someone, anyone can do it really, but it takes real talent to get them react on such a level.

I'm watching as the teachers discuss this years punishment for me. When they catch me that is. You know the whole 'The punishment should fit the crime' thing? Well, what sort of punishment would be fitting for this? That's exactly what they're arguing over. I see a week's worth of detention, maybe, in my future. They don't really hate having the day off, they're just pretending to because they're teachers.

I left the side of the school and headed for the woods. It's not the best idea to be on campus, I just heard Aelita scream.

**April 1, 2007 - 1:38pm**

**Emily's POV**

Ulrich and I took off across the campus. Well, actually, I sort of stumbled down the bleachers, Ulrich simply jumped over the side. I hate athletic people. I chased after him and he waited at one point, near the Gardener's shed. Milly and Tamiya were already racing toward the dorm from the cafeteria where they had probably gotten a late lunch.

I rubbed a bit at the lime green dye currently fused with my skin and looked at Ulrich. He looked rather shocked at what he saw. He was mumbling in first German, then English, and I'm more than certain I heard plenty of curse's that would have ended with him having a week or two of detention if any of the teachers had been close enough to hear.

"He's gone to far, hasn't he?" I asked. He nodded as others joined us.

"You knew about this?" I looked up to see one of the students, I think it was Claire though it didn't look like her.

"No."

"I just bet you didn't. Look at it!" she screamed, gesturing. She was in a rather large soccer jersey with a pair of black warm up pants. Her hair was pulled back and tucked under a burgundy hat. A hat would have been a good idea today. Maybe I would have saved myself the six showers I'll have to take tomorrow. There's no way I'm getting back in those showers tonight. Back to Claire though, who knows what she could be hiding under that hat of hers. Oh boy, Odd's in for it. Ulrich stumbled back a few steps.

"I bet you didn't have a thing to do with this right? Just like last year!" Oh Ulrich will never be able to escape the mistake he made last year. Plead insanity, Ulrich, just plead insanity!

"I really have to go, Odd went that way," Ulrich pointed in a random direction and ran towards the dorms once more. I loathe April Fools day.

**April 1, 2007 - 1:52pm**

**Odd's POV**

Ulrich finds me.

I don't know why that surprises me, but he does. He comes across me in the woods, of course. Some times I tease him about the time he spends here and call him wood spirit or wood elf. Maybe even brownie if I'm in a particularly annoyed mood. Like when I can't find his math homework to copy and he's out gallivanting in the woods with the wolves. Maybe wolf-boy would be better?

At any rate he finds me shortly after the Aelita's-Dorm-Episode, or so I've come to call it. I was sprawled by a stream, staring into the depths, just beginning to understand (a bit) why Ulrich spends so much time out here when Nature-boy himself steps out of the bushes and stands, staring down at me.

"You messed up big time," he tells me.

He doesn't make any move to tackle me, or to tie me up so I sit up cautiously, legs crossed and stare at him. I know he is one of the few people in this world that appreciates my pranks, maybe not _some_ of my more (ahem!) elaborate ones, but just the same, he enjoys them. Which is why I don't do anything to terrible to him. It's horrible sharing a bedroom with an enemy.

"Did I?" I ask cheekily. He rolls his eyes but I see the smile tug at his eyes, even if his mouth is a perpetual frown.

"Yes Odd. Really now, two posters?" he asked. I shrugged again. Yes, it was a bit monotonous but really now, Aelita is too well...sweet...to do anything really evil to. Hence the poster. Not a particularly flattering one if I do say so myself, but still, I understand where he was coming from. "I'm surprised at you."

"Did you wait though?"

"Wait?" He looked dumbfounded. A very fitting look when faced with my diabolical genius.

"Yes Ulrich _dear_," I couldn't help but mock Sissi just a bit. "Wait. It was actually a slide show. A poster slide show. Isn't that genius?"

"If genius is insane, then yes," he said. His lip was twitching now though. He'd be smiling soon, laughing shortly after. I grinned as he sits down near me, edging over and draping an arm over his shoulders. "Everyone thinks I'm in on it."

"Sorry, but that's the price of fame," I reply. I freeze, looking up as a twig snaps. "Shit," I mumble. While I know that my best friend would never turn me over to be tarred and feathered (remember what I said about sharing bedrooms with enemies?) I had no such assurance from the rest of the student (and faculty) body. I looked at Ulrich but he seemed at ease, not that reassuring. "Guess I better be off."

"It's just a wolf," he replied. Yes, definitely time to be off. Let Nature-Boy become one with the wolves. Or their stomachs. Whichever came first.

"See ya Brownie," I called, racing off. My last view was of a very disgruntled, frowning Ulrich, trying desperately to not laugh. I loved my life.

**April 1, 2007- 2:00pm**

**Yumi's POV**

In the time that I've known Aelita, she's been mad, angry, one time at Odd, and it was for putting himself in danger. Never in my life did I ever think I would hear Aelita curse his name in fury while stomping around her room.

"That's it!" She threw her hands up and stopped in front of us. "I quit!" I traded looks of confusion with Jer. "He's on his own!"

"Who?" I asked. She sighed and looked at me squarely.

"Odd, this was all fun but that," She pointed to the pile of posters mangled in the corner, "that is way over doing it! And not part of the plans at all! I should have never agreed to help the runt," she scowled. So Aelita was he's newest addition. She's the new turncoat. Oops, and I accused Ulrich again…

"Well I'll show him!" Aelita's rant continued. "I'll tell you guys the rest of his plans for the day, but I need you to help me beat him at his own game."

**April 1, 2007 - 2:10pm**

**Jeremie's POV**

I was pretty much speechless as Aelita continued to rant. She leaned forward, green eyes glittering, hands clasping and unclasping. Sometimes she would sit, only for a moment, before leaping to her feet and charging around my dorm. I exchanged a look with Yumi who seemed as concerned as I did. Maybe for different reasons though. She had just accused Ulrich of helping Odd. I still believed he was though.

"So," Aelita continued. "That's how he got me to help. I thought it would be fun!" she complained. She pulled at her hair before hitting the door and sliding to the floor, forehead pressed tightly to the wood and knees drawn under her chin. She looked like a nymph.

"Aelita?" Yumi asked quietly. "Are you alright?"

She looked up, eyes glistening and I saw tear tracks down her cheeks. Her hands were still fisted, arms wrapped around her legs. Something seemed off though and her eyes flickered to me, then away.

"He betrayed me."

"You betrayed us," I pointed out.

"I helped you!"

"Only because he turned on you!"

"Guys..." Yumi began.

"I can't believe you would do this Aelita. You know how much we hate today." I gesture to my attire. "Was this your idea?" I demand.

"No! I thought you would have gone for the pink!" she snarls, eyes flashing. She pushes to her feet. "You know, I thought Odd's ideas were good. He never did any harm and it was all in fun! You...you..." she fumbled and I stood, reigning in my temper and trying to comfort her. The tears were falling freely now.

"Aelita..."

"Stay away! I hate you Jeremie! You're so...you're...You keep your nose in a computer or a book. You only saw me as an equation, a problem to fix, to get out of a computer. You never cared about me!"

"Ai..."

"No! It's true. Now that I'm here, in your world, you don't do anything with me. You sit in your room and work on your computer. Your fascinated with Lyoko. No wonder I betrayed you! I shouldn't have told you anything!" she screamed.

The door slammed shut behind her and it was only Yumi and I sitting in a very stunned, on my part, silence.

"Today's gone way to far," Yumi whispered hoarsely, putting a hand on my shoulder. "I'll go talk to her, she's just upset. We're getting worked up over nothing, you know? She was just having fun." I nodded numbly as Yumi got up. She looked back over her shoulder as she reached the door.

"She didn't mean it." She didn't mean it, but she said it. She became so upset with me, she actually said she hated me. I wasn't fascinated with Lyoko, while it was a turning point in the virtual age, it was also the jail to Aelita and her father. I stood and left the room silently. At the end of the day, I can blame all of this on Odd. His pranks didn't hurt anyone hmm? That's why Aelita just left in tears.

**April 1, 2007- 2:15 **

**Odd's POV**

Aelita laughed after a few minutes of sitting in silence under the staircase, wiping her tears she carefully poked her head out.

"Ready Odd?"

Oh the promises of crying on command. Definitely one of my brighter moments having a girl in on it this time. Especially if said girl was Aelita. No one would fall for Yumi crying and Emily wouldn't be able to get into the inner sanctum of planning. Sam, you ask? Well, really, can you see her keeping her mouth shut? I didn't think so.

"How'd it go Princess?" I asked. I pulled her into the stairwell and couldn't help but be vaguely reminded of something I had done to Claire, with Claire, a few weeks ago. When we had still been 'together.' Ah, well, Aelita was to innocent. "You're crying?"

Sure, I expected tears, but not like this. She was sniffling and tears were still streaming down her face no matter how many times she wiper her face. She was upset. This wasn't just from pinching herself when she had been acting. No, this was something major.

She shook her head though and I rolled my eyes. I would never understand girls. How, even if they were bawling and getting my shirt sopping wet, they still claimed everything was fine. "Come on Princess, what is it?" I asked.

"Nothing. I mean..." she sighed, eyes closed. "I told them everything, just like you told me to."

"Yeah, that was fast. Didn't we agree for you to wait around a bit? Plan some stuff?"

"I couldn't!" she exclaimed, eyeing me. "It was Jeremie's fault. He...he just made me so angry!" She broke down crying again, arms thrown around me as she sniffled and sobbed into my shoulder. "He said things, I said things...I..." I wasn't sure what to do so I patted her back awkwardly before finally settling on just rubbing it. It seemed to settle her down a bit.

"It'll be fine Princess."

"He's been a pain all day Odd. I just lost it. And he accused me of betraying them!"

"Then," I said with a smile that I knew was infectious, "you'll just have to prove him right." I was rewarded with a tearful smile.

**April 1, 2007- 2:17**

**Yumi's POV**

I threw my arms up in frustration, leaning against Ulrich's tree. I had looked everywhere. From the factory, to the woods, to the Hermitage, that little café down the block. Literally, utterly everywhere. Aelita was just no where to be found.

"Yumi?" Great.

"I'm sorry. I was wrong, we shouldn't have accused you… uhm.. I think I covered everything? I can't find Aelita." Ulrich looked at me, an childish grin on his face. I wanted to punch him so bad.

"What was that, Yumi? I don't think I heard you." And now he's just playing with me because I was wrong.

"I'm sorry," I said louder and clearer than necessary. He chuckled. I need to get out of these woods.

"What's wrong now?" He asked. "Plans backfire?" Don't they every year?

"Aelita said she hated Jeremie, ran off crying and now I can't find her. Oh, did I mention _Aelita _is working with Odd this year?" I asked. He cocked an eyebrow.

"Aelita? I'm surprised."

"So were we," I stated dryly.

"Did you call her?" No.

"Yeah." I dialed her number with my phone still in my pocket. I heard her voicemail and hung up. Off.

**April 1, 2007 - 2:25pm**

**Ulrich's POV**

Yumi led me through the woods and back to the school. Apparently we are going to re-search everywhere, or interrogate Jeremie on Aelita's favorite haunts. Yumi seems more stressed about this than I would have thought. It seems strange, suddenly being pulled into plotting against Odd and I wonder vaguely if that's just what Odd planned. After all, he knew how they had been treating me...

Aelita.

I wasn't that surprised when Yumi told me. She and Odd are close, sometimes I think she's closer to him and to anyone else, even to Jer though it's fairly obvious to anyone with half a brain that they like each other. Jer and Aelita I mean. Though Odd and Aelita... I shake my head to clear a slightly disturbing image from my head. I have definitely spent too much time with Odd lately.

It's no wonder Aelita would be helping him though. They were good friends and they got each other. That's why I helped him last year. I understood what he was trying to accomplish, just as I'm sure Aelita understands this year. Jeremie and Yumi on the other hand? They'd never get it. Or they'd betray Odd before he got the chance to pull anything. Yes, Odd was very careful with who he picked to help with his pranks...

"Ulrich?"

I snap out of my thoughts to find we're in Jer's dorm. The blonde is sitting at his desk, looking more morose than I've seen him in a long time. I feel kinda bad for him. Yumi's next to me, apparently she just explained the mysterious disappearance of Aelita. It isn't all that mysterious, I could figure out she was with Odd. Which meant they needed to look in Odd's hideouts, not Aelita's. But I wasn't going to tell them that. There's this thing about sharing a bedroom. You don't want to make enemies with the one you're sharing it with. Whether or not the one your sharing it with is a friend, which Odd was.

"Yes?" I ask Yumi innocently.

"We're going to search again. Aelita told us all of Odd's plans before she ran off." Uh-huh. I bet. "So we know how to get him. We're gonna win this year." No, you aren't. Really. Just forget about it. "You're in, aren't you?" she asked. She was looking at me intently and all I could do was look away, out Jer's window at the woods. I swear I saw pink and purple run past a shrub and I smiled.

"Ulrich?"

Jer now, looking expectant. He's pulled himself up to his barely-taller-than-Odd height and is trying to look intimidating in the leather. He looks like a little kid playing dress-up in his older brother's clothes. The glasses don't help much either.

"No," I reply simply. With that I turn and walk out the door, letting them ponder why I left, letting them call after me in confusion. I've learned Odd's methods by now, I know he won't come after me unless I provoke him. Anyway, I find it all quite funny.

**April 1, 2007- 2:27**

**Jeremie's POV**

Yumi fell back on my bed, putting her hands over her face. Taking a few deep breaths before looking back at me.

"I don't know who to trust, my own boyfriend is-"

"Is best friends with Odd," I pointed out. And Aelita is the one working with him. This was getting a little to personal for my liking.

"Just the two of us?" she asked. By that, I assume she meant getting revenge on Odd.

"Are you sure that's what you want to do?" I picked my words very carefully. "This is getting out of control."

"Yes, that's what I want to do," she answered. She pulled her legs up under her as she sat up. "But I have a new set of plans. Everyone knows what's going on now. Odd, Aelita, Ulrich.. We need some new ideas, or we'll never be able to get him. He'll be able to out do us easy."

"He is quite relentless this year," I agreed. Her black eyes flickered.

"So here's what we're going to do." Oh dear.

**April 1, 2007 - 2:58pm**

**Emily's POV**

I'm lying in bed, after I made sure nothing else was tampered with, listening to music. It's Tchaikovsky, playing softly through the surround sound I had installed a few months back, to help me when I played and practiced, to grasp the music fully. I'm just drifting on the verge of a peaceful doze when a loud knock interrupts the peace. I glare at the ceiling before getting out of bed and opening the door carefully.

"Ulrich?" He looks unsure, slightly damp, and happy. A strange emotion to see on this day. "What is it?"

"Can I come in?" I nod and step aside, letting him in and he wanders around my room. It's the first time he's ever been in it and I wonder if it's that different than others he's been in. Like Aelita's. I haven't been in many of the other dorms, mostly keeping to myself. "Tchaikovsky?" he asks with mild surprise.

His surprise is mirrored in my voice. "You know Tchaikovsky?" Not many kids, guys especially, outside of Orchestra knew Tchaikovsky. Or Beethoven. Or Mozart. No, most people were tone deaf to classical music.

"Yeah. I studied it a bit when I lived at home. Piano," he replied. His eyes fell on my music case. "Flute?"

"Yes..." I fiddle a bit but he smiles at me. "So, what's up?" I ask.

"Not much, I just need to lay low for a bit."

"Are you helping Odd then?" I ask. He shakes his head and I smile. "Good, because if you had anything to do with this," I snap, gesturing to my painted and dyed face, "I'd have to kill you."

"No worries. I just...I guess I upset Yumi."

"Ah." No more needs to be said. I understand what it means to upset Yumi. I flash him a smile. "Stay as long as you want. Though I have to warn you, you'll have to earn your keep."

"Oh?"

"You have to play some of Tchaikovsky. I've never managed to master it on the piano and I need someone to practice the duet I'm doing with Michelle with."

"You don't have a piano."

I smiled. "Keyboard. Under the bed."

**April 1, 2007- 3:00pm**

**Sam's POV**

I held my phone away from my head as I answered it, preventing any rewiring shocks Odd might have planted in revenge.

"Hello Sammy!" Odd's voice rang out. I heard a light laughter in the background

"Hi Odd." I balanced the phone on my shoulder as I retrieved my books from my locker.

"How was detention?" He asked. I swung my bag over my shoulder and shut the door.

"Wonderful. Mr. Karen adores me," I laughed sarcastically. "How's mass chaos?"

"Chaotic."

"Stupendous."

"I'm winning you know," he pointed out. No he's not. The principals car is on the roof. Along with the rest of the staff's cars. He can't beat that.

"Sure you are, Odd. What's the damage this year?"

"They haven't found me yet."

"Ah, and you're little apprentice?"

"She deserves a movie contract." Oh, boy. He thinks he's god again.

"I see. Check on Kiwi lately?" I asked. Oh don't glare. I'd never do anything to Kiwi, but as long as Odd thinks I would, he'll never beat me. I taught him everything he knows.

"Got to go, Sam! Later." That's what I thought.

"Samantha Larson!" Uh oh.. They found the fish.

**Aelita's POV**

I'm laying in a field of tall grass and wild flowers, making a chain of daisies as rain falls softly around me, wetting the grass and matting my hair to my skin. Odd left a few minutes ago, presumably to check on Kiwi after talking to Sam. I wonder if she's realized what he's done to her...well, I guess she'll find out eventually.

I sit up as I hear footsteps approaching. It's to soon for Odd to be back though. I freeze, propped on one arm, daisy crown slipping on my head, vaguely wondering what I look like at this moment. In front of me is a young doe with an even younger fawn. I've never seen one in person though Ulrich, Odd, and I traveled through the wood numerous times to see if we could find one. I shiver, watching them.

They pause, heads tilted to the side, before something causes the mother to take off, the fawn following closely behind. A moment later a pack of wolves emerges from the wood, growling low, one or two chase after the deer and I hold my breath, watching with wide eyes. The leader sees me, turning to investigate.

It's a beautiful cream color with black dappling over it's back and head. The eyes are golden brown and they watch me intently, displaying an intelligence that probably exceeded human belief. "Beautiful..." I breath. It snarls and I flinch, hearing crunching in the grass.

"Aelita!" Odd screams. The wolf starts and turns and Odd glares at it. "Bad dog! Bad! You don't do that. Go away! Bad!" he yells. The wolf's ears twitch and it sniffs before losing interest and turning with a howl, leading the pack away. "Are you alright?"

"Yes. How's...?"

"Everything's set. Come on." A smile flits over his usual care-free face. "I like your crown, Princess."

"Thanks," I reply, blushing slightly.

**April 1, 2007- 3:13pm**

**Jeremie's POV**

Yumi knocked on me door, When I finally managed to undo all the locks, she was leaning against the wall.

"That didn't take long," I commented, letting her in.

"I ran." She set her bag down carefully. "There's no one around." Of course not, Everyone's hiding, locked in their dorms to escape Odd's wrath. Little do they know it's Odd and Aelita's they should be worried about. She unzipped her backpack with a satisfied grin.

"What color?" I asked. Yumi visually cringed.

"Pink. I figured it would be the best." Because she hates it, great idea Yumi.

"Is this going to work?" Answer? No. Not only is Odd the best at pranks, he now has a genius working with him…a genius who could rig sprinklers.

"Yumi I think Aelita was the one-"

"Way ahead of you," She pulled another can out of her bag. It was black.

**April 1, 2007 - 3:24pm**

**Odd's POV**

I'm cold, and wet, and pacing the too-pink room while Aelita changes in her closet. I pick up one of the picture frames on her shelving unit and stare at it. It's a picture of her, Ulrich, and I. I'm laying across both of them of course, grinning like a mad hatter. Ulrich looks both annoyed and amused at once, Aelita is laughing and trying to shove my feet off her lap. I smile at it and set it back down when she exits the closet, her daisy crown still clinging haphazardly to her head.

"Feeling better?"

"Yes. I'm sorry I can't offer you any clothes..."

"No problem. I'm fine." She gives me a disbelieving look. "Just peachy." I collapse onto her bed and she comes over, carrying her laptop, pink, of course, and sets it down neatly between us, forcing me to move closer to the edge to give her room.

"Okay, so, I hacked into the main computer network to reroute the systems and..."

"Hey, Princess?"

"What?"

"Please, simple sentences so that us non-technological-geniuses can understand?"

She laughs, she has a nice laugh, I like making her laugh, and shakes her head, turning back to the computer screen. "Okay then. I broke into the school's computer system and changed the commands."

"So...it can be done?"

"Odd," she laughed, ruffling my hair, "it _is_ done."

I grin, looking at the diagram on the screen, pretending I know what it's displaying. Ulrich was great last year, but sometimes, this time included, it's nice to have a certified genius helping. One who knows technological mumbo jumbo. Though, the slime-and-feathering of last year had been Ulrich's idea...

**April 1, 2007 3:30**

**Milly's POV**

We were changing tapes when we heard more screams. Tamiya was rushing me, head sticking of our dorm door.

"Hurry!" I slipped the new tape in, leaving the old one in the bag.

"We're ready, Tamiya." And we were out the door, heading towards the source of the screams, Naomi's dorm room. She had thrown herself against the wall across from her door, wide eyed and panting. I tossed the camera to Tamiya.

"Naomi? What happened?" I asked.

"Spiders," she gasped. "Live spiders!" And she screamed again.

**April 1, 2007 - 3:35pm**

**Ulrich's POV**

We heard the screams from Emily's room and I paused, fingers still holding down the C chord, dancing over flats and sharps and Emily looked at me strangely, setting her flute down. She was an excellent flutist. She stood and moved to the door, opening it and looking down the hallway, at the gathered group of girls and Naomi's screams.

"What is it?" I asked quietly.

"I can't...oh my." More screams erupted and she winced. "Spiders apparently. Nothing dangerous but Odd seems to know that half this floor is scared of them."

"You aren't?"

"No. They're quite harmless." She sighed. "Poor Naomi."

"I better..."

"Yes, go. While they're all distracted." She turned and smiled at me. "You play wonderfully." I just nodded, slipping away quickly and debating before heading down first one hall, then another, and knocking on Aelita's door before trying the handle.

Unlocked.

I entered quickly, smirking when I saw Odd jump, almost falling off of Aelita's bed and the girl clutch her laptop. "Not interrupting anything, am I?"

"Ulrich!" Odd exclaimed, grinning madly at me. That's when he fell off the bed. He landed with a thump, jerking to his knees and grinning at me still. "What are you doing here man?"

"Heard the screams..."

"I thought you'd be helping Yumi and Jer plan my imminent demise," he retorted.

"Not this time. Hello Aelita."

"Hey Ulrich." She looked unsure and I managed a smile.

"Yumi told me about you helping Odd." She nodded. "So tell me...what are you two planning?"

Odd grinned, standing. "The best Ulrich. The best. But..." he faltered and I raised an eyebrow. "We might be needing your diabolical genius if you're up to it..."

"What do I have to do?"

**April 1, 2007 - 3:36pm**

**Yumi's POV**

Jeremie shuddered as we heard more screams ring through the halls beneath us.

"What do you think he did?" I shrugged. Honestly, I don't have a single idea of what the boy thinks up. Or should I say those two now? Who knows how many ideas Aelita has supplied. We really could have used her creativity. She helped with our first plan, but we had to change it after we found out she was working with Odd.

So now I'm stripped down to my black tank top, hair pulled away from the paint, sitting with Jeremie on the floor.

"We should just call it a day, pack it up and go home before he unleashes God-knows-what on the school, Yumi." That really is what we should do. Common sense would tell any rational person to go home and lock the doors. I, on the other hand, am not feeling very rational. In fact, all I want is revenge.

"Your girlfriend, my best friend, is in on this. Along with one very pesky purple clad boy. I am not giving up. And I have a few gallons of paint sitting in front of me. I'm not letting them have the last laugh."

"They will any way."

"You're ruining my revenge speech." He took off his leather jacket. I almost laughed at the frilly pink shirt underneath.

"You think I look funny in pink?" He demanded. Yes. Yes I do. I also think he looks funny in leather.

"Jer, I didn't say a word-"

"Tutu." I stopped stirring the paint concoction and looked up.

"Low blow, Jer." He crossed his arms over his chest. God.. He looks so funny.

"Stir."

**April 1, 2007 - 3:40pm**

**Sissi's POV**

I was walking outside, away from the madness reigning inside the dorms. I'm sorry, but really now, spiders? Hervé and Nicholas have disappeared finally, probably sniveling away in their dorms, leaving me to fend for myself. Just fine by me. Those two really get on my nerves.

I step into something squishy and look down. It's dark green and jelly-like. Oh, Daddy will hear about this all right. I will personally be there at Odd's punishment. I wish they still hung people. No I don't, I was just being melodramatic. Again.

I'm crossing the courtyard now when I see Ulrich approaching. I stop, ready to talk to him and expecting him to turn and disappear or something, when he notices me. He speeds up to my surprise and grabs me by the arm, pulling me across the courtyard.

"Ulrich?" I ask, surprise tinging my voice though I knew all along he'd come to his senses sooner or later.

"Sissi," he breathed, looking at me quite seriously. "I need your help."

"My...help?"

For once in my life, I am completely, utterly, and totally speechless.

**April 1, 2007- 3:41pm**

**Jean Pierre's POV**

At anytime during the day, I could have hauled Della Robbia to my office for any number of his schemes, Or Miss Ishiyama for tearing the locks off the roof stairwell, though I can't say I blame her, but I haven't. In fact, I've left my office only once today. No one really can stop Della Robbia. He's planned escape routes and back up plans a-z for everything he thought up for today. If only he put that much thought into his school work, he'd be top of his class. I've seen him pass my window with Miss Stones seven times today, I know there's more trouble to come. April second should be a free-for-all on the two. I doubt myself or any other faculty member will be able to do anything to prevent things. The day students with have the same reaction April third.

Maybe next year I'll put everyone in lock down the week of the first, and tie Della Robbia to a chair.

**April 1, 2007 - 3:48pm**

**Aelita's POV**

I'm leaning against Odd, sitting on the roof and watching Ulrich talk to Sissi. She's nodding and smiling, reaching out to brush fingers over his arm. Odd makes a disgusted noise at this, and I turn to see him glaring down at the display.

"What is it?"

"This was stupid. I should have been the one to ask her," he grumbled. I smiled sympathetically at him.

"She wouldn't have listened to you if you asked. Ulrich had to do it," I told him. I patted his arm, smiling. "Do you really think it'll work?"

"It has to," he replied darkly. His eyes followed them, trying to judge whether or not she would agree. She seemed to, smiling brightly and nodding and Ulrich did something which I couldn't see but had Odd grumbling under his breath again.

"I didn't know you spoke German."

"Ulrich taught me," he muttered, distracted as Ulrich approached the side of the building, heading for the stairwell that led to the roof.

"Oh. Look, he's on his way. She agreed," I told him brightly. "You were worried for nothing. Everything will go perfectly."

"I wonder what she got out of the bargain," Odd replied as the roof door opened and Ulrich approached us. "How'd it go?" Odd called, grinning faintly.

"She can't wait to help," Ulrich replied. He smiled as Odd raised his eyebrow. "Get back at Yumi I'm sure. And Jer for making her feel, and look, like an idiot."

"Great!" Odd exclaimed. He looked happy, thrilled, like a mad scientist who just made a new and improved Frankenstein Monster.

"Perfect," I replied, smiling just as wide as Odd. I wondered vaguely what I looked like.

**April 1, 2007- 3:50pm**

**Yumi's POV**

"I think it's good." I'm afraid to touch it, due to its purpose.

"Should we test it?" Jeremie asked. Yes, let's test it on Emily.

"Don't you trust me? Besides, I tested the same consistency on Hiroki a few weeks ago, works like a charm for 7 hours." Poor Hiroki.

"Well, everything's in place. Are the guns loaded?" Yeah they are.

"I have the paint ready, we'll load them when we get down there. Spread the word ok? Anyone Odd and Aelita have pranked this year. I'll meet you there." Jeremie nodded as we went separate directions.

"Good luck."

"Good luck!" And I was headed for the court yard. I loaded the tennis guns, already destroyed by Odd, and set them in place. Perfect. The rope was ready in my bag and Jeremie was running from the dorms.

"They're coming."

**April 1, 2007 - 4:05pm**

**Ulrich's POV**

I stood off to the sidelines and Emily approached me. Sissi was a few feet away, pretending to ogle me for once. I knew she was really paying attention to the scene unfolding in front of us. Everything was going perfectly. Yumi looked up, just as Emily reached me. She had her hair down to hide the lime green dye on her face and I smiled faintly at her. Emily, not Yumi that is.

"What's going on?" she whispered.

"Yumi and Jer are getting back at the pranksters," I replied. She looked surprised, stepping next to me, watching curiously. There was a loud commotion suddenly as Aelita was brought forward, glaring haughtily at anyone who looked at her, just as Odd had instructed her to do.

"What's going on?" she demanded. And then Odd was there as well. I didn't really see where he came from, probably the wood, maybe the ground. Jeremie screamed "Now!" and he and Yumi grabbed the water guns, spraying Aelita and Odd with them. Paint coated them both and I winced. Yumi had done something similar to Hiroki a few weeks ago. Super glue would be included in that.

Aelita screamed, covering her face and Odd turned so that mostly his back and side got it. Emily turned to me, surprise evident in her eyes. "That seems kind of cruel," she murmured.

"Just wait," I said grimly. I could imagine where this was going.

The rope came next and Yumi and Jer both got an end, quickly tying the squirming "cousins" to the flagpole in the center of the courtyard. I could see the super glue was already starting to work as they continued to wriggle. Good idea. Keep moving and it doesn't get a good chance to suction.

Now it was Sissi's turn.

**April 1, 2007- 4:07pm**

**Jeremie's POV**

Aelita and Odd were held together by the rope, the glue was drying fast and Yumi was laughing like a maniac. Claire was the first one out of the dorm, followed by everyone else. Naomi was still shaking among the group, eyes fierce when she spotted the duo.

"Should- should we help them? Or just let them go at it by themselves?" Yumi asked clutching her sides.

"Who's the traitors now?" Aelita spluttered. She was trying futilely to get the black paint away from her mouth.

"Maybe they'll go easy on her?" Jeremie asked. Yumi shook her head. An egg soared from the growing crowd of students, making a direct hit on Odd's face.

"Nice. Very nice." He gritted his teeth. Aelita almost screamed, she looked about to scream. I could only stand there. I saw Ulrich and Emily from the corner of my eye. Shame we couldn't get him stuck in the mess too. I don't think she could find any more paint.

"Fire!"

"Oh they are so gonna get it," Yumi snorted. And they did. She set the extra paint out for everyone to see. Alright, so it's funny. They had it coming.

**April 1, 2007 - 4:09pm**

**Sissi's POV**

I left the shrubs quickly, looking like I was going to get my vengeance on Odd and Aelita, really I did want to but...my cell phone rang loudly and I pulled it out, ignoring that it said Ulrich was the one who was calling. "Hello?" A pause for good measure then quite loudly, "Daddy?"

A few of the more...energetic ones stopped and stared at me. I pretended to argue. "But Daddy, they deserve it! Daddy...They...Alright. Yes, yes. I'll tell them...yes, I promise."

I hung up the phone, listening to Ulrich snickering on the other end. "Everyone! Stop!" I screamed. The stopped, slower than I would have liked, but they did obey me eventually. Aelita and Odd were looking at me expectantly, they knew what was coming. "Daddy says he wants to see everyone in the Auditorium. Now."

Groans met my announcement and Yumi looked ready to set something on fire. I still don't know what Ulrich sees in her. "He says that we can leave Stones and Della Robbia here though. At least until the Assembly's over." A smile. "And he says it's gonna be a long one."

Grins and taunts met this and a few more eggs were thrown at the cousins, a can of silly string sprayed. They were all so juvenile. "He wants us to hurry!" We turned then, I waited until I was sure everyone was leaving before following. I knew Ulrich wouldn't be amongst the followers.

He owed me.

**April 1, 2007- 4:10pm**

**Yumi's POV**

Sissi is way, way to happy about this. She should have the first one with an egg in her hand. An now an assembly? Bogus. This is completely bogus.

"Yumi?" It was Ulrich, tugging at my back.

"Do you know what's going on?"

"I was going to ask you the same thing."

"What about Odd and Aelita?" He would worry about them.

"They'll be there when we get back." That'll be a picture to add to the scrapbook. We walked into the auditorium.

"Uhm, Yumi? I don't see the principal. Do you?" I turned my attention away from Ulrich to look at Jeremie as we mixed in with the other students.

"No… I don't." I turned to asked Ulrich if he did, but he was gone, lost among the crowd I suppose. Maybe Sissi dragged him away.

"I'm thinking we're being set up," Jeremie sighed. I couldn't agree with him more.

**April 1, 2007 - 4:10:45pm**

**Odd's POV**

Aelita and I are still squirming, trying to make sure the glue doesn't harden, when Ulrich appears. Ah, my knight in shining armor...er, well, he has a hose at least and that's kind of shiny... He nods to someone I can't see and water gushes out, drenching Aelita and I until we're shivering. Emily appears, looking furious but sympathetic at the same time.

"Hey babe," I call to her, grinning my best grin and choking on the water Ulrich pours down my throat. Touché.

"Let's get something straight Odd," she growls and I remember her right hook, wincing as she fists her hands. "I'm not happy with you, I'd silly-string you or egg you myself if it weren't that you're tied up. That's not fair to you, or Aelita." She takes the hose from Ulrich, continuing to drench us as Ulrich moves behind us, untying the extra-tight knots. I'm sure he's getting just as wet as we are.

"Th...Thanks," Aelita chatters as the rope comes undone and we're able to step away from the metal pole. I hear my shirt tear a bit but I don't care, at least it isn't my skin and it was ruined anyway.

Ulrich comes over to me, draping a heavy jacket around my shoulders and I am extremely grateful to my caring, compassionate, thoughtful roommate. He does the same to Aelita and she snuggles into it, sighing happily.

"You two better change," Ulrich says, picking up the paint-filled water guns. "You're going to get sick."

"Serves them right," Emily mutters, rubbing her cheek and I feel bad suddenly, even though it was all done in good fun.

"Hey, Em?" I ask. She glares at me but at least she acknowledges me. "I'm sorry, really," I mumble. "About the lime paint. I promise, I'll go easier next year." She groans but smiles a bit.

"Thanks."

"Just go," she mutters. "Come on Aelita, I'll come with you so no one can interfere."

They leave and it's just Ulrich and I, scurrying back to our dorm as quick as can be, locking the door behind us. I dump the jacket on the ground, stripping quickly, not really caring if Ulrich is there or not, watching me or not. My main concern is warmth and I'm again grateful when he hands me a towel and I dry off, finding clothes that are somewhat decent. I can't really tell if they're clean or not, at least they're dry.

"You okay?" Ulrich asks. I look up at him, grinning my brightest.

"'Course I am," I tell him. I can never fool him though. "It hurt," I admit, rubbing my face, where the egg had hit. "I think it was Claire that hit me with it. Definitely not going to ask her out again." He sighed, which caused me to sigh. "Yeah, well, anyway. We're gonna be late for Le Grande Finale!" I exclaimed. I pulled on a jacket and managed to arrange my hair in a somewhat decent spike.

"You are so vain," he mutters.

"Yeah, well, someone has to be," I reply.

**April 1, 2007- 4:17pm**

**Aelita's POV**

I have never been so cold in my life. I pull the warm jacket around me tighter as we meet back up with Odd and Ulrich, laptop tucked safely under my arm. My hair is soaked, with black sticky spots everywhere. My teeth won't stop chattering as we descend the stairs. Emily doesn't look happy with any of us, and probably not with Ulrich for helping us. In five minutes she'll thank us for not being included in our last prank.

Odd has a crazed smile of his face as he absentmindedly rubs at some pink paint still on his skin.

"You guys get out of here, don't get caught," he instructs Emily and Ulrich. Emily leaves with out another word. Ulrich gives us one last look before heading to his next post, all the while shaking his head.

"Ready Princess?" Odd asks. Am I ever. I can't wait to see the plan unfold.

"Oh, yes." I take my laptop out and hand it to Odd. He grins and quickens his pace as we head towards the auditorium. His hair is drooping slightly, it bounces as he walks, and the jacket hangs off his small frame. I imagine I look no better, but it's still a sight to see.

"Everything's still set?" His eyes scan the campus for any faculty.

"Nothing's been tampered with. I made sure Jeremie couldn't recognize the bug. Hidden in plain sight," I explained.

"Now, my little double agent, the real fun begins."

**April 1, 2007 - 4:20pm**

**Ulrich's POV**

I made sure that Emily was safe and far away, she was heading to her dorm, before getting into position. Sissi shot me a look and I debated for a moment, should I warn her? I debated a moment more, watching Odd and Aelita creeping along the sidelines, outside of the Auditorium. I would have to remind Odd that spiked hair does not equal the ambiguous look he was going for.

I rolled my eyes, settling back against the stone wall, watching the confusion mount. I guess I was a sort of look-out. I had to make sure none of the faculty got in or discovered what was going on. Basically, I had to be on the look-out for Jim, code name big fat clown. Odd's creation.

I looked up, toward the front of the Auditorium and saw Odd up above everyone else, giving me the signal to leave. I didn't want to be in the room, I knew that. I hung back a second more, saw Sissi doing her part. She stood suddenly and made her way on to the stage, pretended to talk to someone backstage, then again, maybe she was talking to someone...

She came back out, called Yumi and Jeremie up, to talk to whoever it was that she was talking to. I debated a second more, seeing the doors already beginning to lock. No time now. I backed out quickly, seeing Odd and Aelita now on the Auditorium roof, gesturing for me to join them, to see the fun they were inflicting on everyone inside.

"Come on Ulrich!" Odd yelled down, grinning madly. I hesitated still, looking back at the metal doors, hearing them click and lock. No one inside realized yet. "Ulrich?"

"Coming," I muttered, climbing the old ladder effortlessly, I just didn't look down, and approached them. They had Aelita's computer set up, hooked up to the camera inside, and I could see everyone. Jer and Yumi most of all since they were on the stage, looking confused.

The prank was starting.

**April 1, 2007- 4:21pm**

**Jeremie's POV**

Yumi's eyes darted around the crowd. She was looking for Ulrich, and she wasn't finding him.

"We need to get out of here," she murmured. No where to run, no where to hide. Odd set the trap and Aelita made it fool proof. Or us proof.

Above all, Yumi looks mad. Scratch that, furious. I'm afraid to know what she's going to do to Aelita and Odd when or if we get out of here. And we don't even know what our so called friends have in store for us. Suddenly the main lights go offline.

**April 1, 2007 - 4:22pm**

**Odd's POV**

Screams fill the room below us and I turn to Aelita, she nods and switches the camera to infrared, which is kind of creepy, seeing multi-colored humanoid life forms pushing and running and basically attacking each other. Hm...maybe enclosed spaces are bad things. Oh well, at least we know for next year.

"Are you sure about this?" Ulrich all but whispers in my ear, like we're in the room with everyone and they can hear us? I roll my eyes, turning to face him.

"Of course I'm sure," I chirp out at him. I swing an arm up and around his shoulders, ah...blissful body heat. Much warmer than the stupid jacket, though the stupid jacket helps. At any rate he seems to realize and doesn't pull away, letting me leech the nice warmth from him.

Aelita taps out a few codes and commands and I look at her. "We're all ready Odd," she says. Her eyes are dancing, light green emeralds shining in the sun. She's enjoying this and why shouldn't she? I am the master prankster, aren't I?

"Sissi won't be happy," Ulrich mutters darkly. I grin.

"Ah, don't worry about Sissi. Aelita let her out before the fun started." He looks mildly surprised and I grin at him, ruffling his hair. "Come on, you know I take good care of those who help me with my er...endeavors."

"Right," he replies. He grins though, relaxing and I raise an eyebrow at him. Note to self: I must ask Ulrich later what is up with him and Emily, him and Sissi, and him and Yumi. Preferably in that order.

"Lock and load baby," I mutter, grinning my maddest grin possible.

**April 1, 2007- 4:23pm**

**Yumi's POV**

This is not what I want to be in the center of. Kids are screaming in terror the very second they realize what is happening. The stage is not where we want to be right now. I pull Jeremie down, pushing my way towards door. Maybe if we get there quick enough, I can bust it down.. .and then bust Odd.

Some of the sixth graders are crying and clinging to each other in the dark.

"Yumi?" Jeremie struggles to keep up.

"Just keep moving," I instructed. Sooner or later the panic was going to get to people. What were they thinking? Panic leads to chaos, chaos can cause people to get hurt. It's dangerous.

People are pushing in every direction. Another scream rings out, I'm afraid to look. I'm not given the choice as someone slams into me, driving me to the ground. I'm going to be trampled.

"Get up!" Jeremie is pulling me now, up to my feet. We're still nowhere near the door. Or any exit. Sealed or otherwise.

**April 1, 2007 - 4:29:55pm**

**Odd's POV**

"Five..."

"Hurry up Odd."

"Four..."

"They're getting more restless."

"Three..."

"Odd!"

"Two..."

I raise my hand, signaling Ulrich to be silent and continue to stare at my watch. I can hear Aelita getting ready, fingers tapping convulsively against the keypad. Ulrich is pacing, I miss the warmth, and I get the feeling that he wants to strangle me or something.

"Odd..."

"One!" I yell. Aelita pushes the key and instantly the computer screen goes black. Ulrich looks ready to kill us as more screams rise from the Auditorium. Ah, look. I see the Faculty. Big fat clown is leading the way...

"What did you do?" Ulrich asked, looking at me.

"You'll see," I tell him cheekily. I wrap an arm around him, pulling him over to the laptop, and wrap my other arm around Aelita. Ah, I am a sandwich of warmth now. It feels nice. Good.

The screen returns to normal and we see the sprinklers running. "Again?" he asks as kids still scream. Stupid, don't they know genius when they see it? "I thought you were going to..."

"Just watch."

It isn't the normal water. It's my own concoction, based on Ulrich's idea. Ah yes, have I ever mentioned how much of a diabolical genius Ulrich is? No? Well, he is. A black and oily substance, like Vaseline almost, rains down on them, like water balloons or snowballs, and explodes, drenching everyone in it. Ah, it is a beautiful sight. And well, the soapsuds and cotton balls that are blown out from the stage? Well, come on, that's just priceless.

**April 1, 2007 - 4:30pm**

**Ulrich's POV**

Aelita controlled the camera to take in the full view. Yumi was coughing and rubbing at her eyes, not able to get the liquid off her face. Worst of all? She was still moving towards the door. She slid on the slick tile, almost losing her balance.

We, mostly me, are in so much trouble. Jim is yelling at us, and now would be a good time to bail.

"Odd the doors.." I pull away from the duo moving to the side of the building over the doors. Odd scowled at me. He's probably still freezing.

"Are also rigged," Aelita laughed. There was a crash and a scream. Odd was on his back laughing. Another crash, and the door opened. Yumi and Jeremie tumbled out, littered in.. confetti?

Yumi's pissed.

**April 1, 2007 - 4:32pm**

**Emily's POV**

I'm sitting in my room, on the window seat overlooking the auditorium, and I see the whole thing. Ulrich, Odd, and Aelita are sitting on the roof, laughing and inflicting more pain on whoever is inside, secretly I hope Jim is in there but that isn't really fair. Neither is it fair that I wish I hadn't seen Sissi slip away before everything else or that I'm rather pleased inwardly that Yumi is stuck in there. Nope, not fair at all.

I get up, pulling down my violin and return to my seat, opening the window to the still-cold April air, beginning a sorrowful lament. Ulrich looks up and smiles when he sees me, Odd just cocks his head to the side like a hound dog. I smile and continue to play but once the doors of the auditorium are broken open I change the pace and the melody.

It's now faster, more staccato, and moving quickly into a semblance of a chase. Because, judging from Yumi's look, it will definitely be a chase, probably like last year when I remember seeing Odd and Ulrich running for their lives. Principal Delmas hears the music and looks up, catching me in my window, still playing and glares, yelling something up at me, but he's distracted, turning back as students pour from the auditorium, cold and swearing, wiping the er...liquid? Goo? From them and the, it looks like confetti but. Yes, wait, it is confetti.

As the doors open brightly colored pieces of confetti erupt from somewhere and drench the students in it. And a large tarp unfurls from the roof of the auditorium. I see Yumi wince as Jeremie points to it, no doubt she thinks it's another ballerina picture but she's mistaken. It's Odd wearing a crown and looking ridiculously regal. In big purple letters it says **Happy April Fools From Your Favorite April Fool. **

He won't make it to next year if the kids below have anything to say about it.

**April 2, 2007 - 2:45am**

I have now been up for exactly twenty-four hours. My day has been complete, I'm still the April Fool and no one can take that title away from me. Not even Sam. I'm sure she's realized by now, I had fun with her room.

Aelita, Ulrich, and I managed to escape off the roof, down the back, without anyone really noticing. Again, I have Sissi to thank for that. Gee, I never thought I'd say that. She really came through this year though, I think it was the whole, getting back at Yumi and Jer thing though. And maybe because Ulrich asked her...Which reminds me. Hold on, be right back.

**— — 3:23am**

Random note: Write the time backwards or forwards and it's the same. At this moment anyway.

Can you believe that nutcase is still awake? What am I saying, I'm just as nutty as him seeing that he's actually attempting sleep now and I'm still wide awake. Anyway, what was I saying before I left you so abruptly?

Oh, right. Well, it went off without much of a hitch. Aelita was brilliant, I should have thought about getting a genius to help years ago. Who else knows so much about technology, who else can hack into the sprinkler system and automatic locking mechanisms. Er...not Jer.

I'm laying here in bed, expecting a surprise attack from someone, so far the only one to do that is Kiwi but he doesn't count. I know I'm in for it tomorrow. I know I'm going to get it in the end. But you know what? I really don't care at this point. It's all in good fun and anyway, I have a doctor's appointment tomorrow. If I happen to take longer in town than would be normal well...who's to know? Besides Ulrich because he knows how much I hate the doctor's.

Hm...

I did question him about his relationship(s?) with Emily, with Sissi, and with Yumi. He's stubborn though and after telling me to go away he finally caved a bit. Seems not all is as it should be in Ulrich Happy World. And probably not in Yumi Happy World either. That's what she gets for doubting her boyfriend though...

I'm tired, my eyes are drooping but I hear something that is definitely not Kiwi and definitely not Ulrich. I sit up and look around the room, so maybe my predictions aren't too far fetched, hm? The doorknob jiggles as someone attempts to pick the lock, heedless of the deadbolt I installed earlier today. Time to fly.

'Till next year my loyal subjects!

Your ever loving, ever crazed April Fool,

**Odd.**


End file.
